Henry temple



(No Model.)

H. TEMPLE.

` STILT. v No. 404,806. Patented June 4,1889.

71A? fa 'if 1f )Vim-Wer' f7/m9725521 UNITED STATES v PATENT OFFICE. j

HENRY TEMPLE, OF GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO IVI'LLIAM HARRISON, OF SAME PLACE.`

STILT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters latent No. 404,806,7dated June 4, 1889.

Application filed February 8, 1889. Serial No. 299,189. (No model.)

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY TEMPLE, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Grand Rapids, in the county of Kent and State of Michigan, have invented new and useful Improvements in Stilts, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to stilts of the class commonly used as toys for children; and the purpose thereof is to provide a cheap and simple construction whereby anroscillating step may be conveniently combined withb a vertically-adjustable bracket, and whereby, also, a covering of rubber, leather, cloth, or other material may be applied to and readily removed from the oscillating step.

It is also one purpose of my invention to provide a strap for the adjustable bracket, having such a form of' fastening device that it may readily and instantly be thrown off or fastened, said step passing` over the foot and being formed of leather, metal, or other material.

The invention consists in the several novel features of construction and new combinations of parts, hereinafter fully described, and then definitely pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis a front elevation showin g my invent-ion. Eig. 2 is a side or edge elevation of Fig. 1. Eig. 3 is a detail view enlarged, showing the stepbracket detached from the staff, and illustrating one method of fastening the covering upon the oscillating step. Fig. 4 is a detail section of the divided clasp. Fig. 5 is a detail view of a modified form of oscillating step.

In the said drawings, the reference-numeral 1 denotes the step-bracket, which may be a substantially-triangular metallic plate, one of the angles being a right angle. Upon one of the sides or edges adjacent to said right angle are formed two clasps 2 and 3, which are cleft or cut, the upper clasp 2 being provided with lugs 4, projecting horizontally from each of the cleft extremities. These lugs are drilled to receive a headed bolt o', upon which is turned a nut G, by which the two parts of the clasp may be forced together and caused to tightly embrace the staff. The inner or engaging faces of the clasp 2 maybe provided with one or more points 6, which enter the wood, or they may be corrugated or roughened to give a better hold upon the staff.

At each end of the horizontal bracket 1 is formed a lug 7, which is drilled to receive a journal 8, formed upon an oscillating stepplate 9. This step-plate may, as shown in Fig. 1 be a simple metallic plate of sufficient width to afford a firm foundation for the foot, or it may be constructed of comparatively greater width and provided with a covering 10, of rubber, leather, cloth, or other material. A convenient way of attaching this covering is to form points or projections 12 upon the stepplate, which pass through the cover 10, and may then be bent down; or awasher 13 may be slipped upon the end of the point 12, and the latter headed or upset. These points may be integral with the plate, or they may be formed separately and placed in small openings drilled through the step-plate near its angles.

I may apply the covering to the narrow stepplate shown in Fig. 1; and in either form I may use cement, screws, or other fastening-s to secure a proper attachment.

Upon the upper edges of the lugs 7 are formed T-shaped cross-heads lying horizontally at right angles with the plane of the step-bracket 1. These cross-heads afford convenient fastenings for a strap 14, which may may be of brass or other metal, or rubber, leather, or any suitable material. In the ends of the strap are form ed slits 15, having at their outer ends enlarged openings 16, which admit the vertical portions of the cross-heads. The manner of fastening the strap is so obvious as to require no explanation.

A cheap and convenient method of constructing the step-bracket and its several adj uncts is to form the same in two similar and substantially-equal parts 1, as shown in Fig. 2. The bracket being thus divided in a vertical plane passing centrally through the lugs 7, the journals of the oscillating step-plate may be laid in their bearings when the two sections are united, thus avoiding the drilling of these lugs and thc difficulty of inserting the step-plate when the parts are solid and inseparable. The sections 1L may each be provided IOC with one member-of each of the clasps 2 and 3, and said sections may be united by rivets 17; or I may cast nipples or points upon one section and openings to receive the saine upon the other, and either rivet these points down or apply small nuts to their threaded ends.

Inlay use a stationary step in place of the oscillating plate shown, the other features of the invention being unchanged.

What I claini isl.4 The combination, in a stilt, of the stepbracket divided vertically into two separate and similar sections, each of which is provided with the seinicircular part, of a clasp for embracing a staff, and an oscillating stepplate having end journals arranged and held between divided upwardly-projecting lugs of the two sections of the bracket, substantially as described.

2. In a stilt, au adjustable step-bracket provided with lugs which receive the journals of an oscillating step-plate, said lugs being provided with cross-heads forming fastenin gs for a detachable strap, substantially as described.

3. In a stilt, an adjustable step bracket formed in two separate similar sections, each Section having one member of the clasps, one

part of each of the bearings for the oscillating step-plate and part of the cross-heads forming fastenings for a strap, each section being formed in a single integral piece and the two being united after the step-plate is inserted by suitable fasteniu gs, substantially as described.

4. In a stilt, the co1nbination,with the staff, of an adjustable foot-plate having two-part clasps engaging said staff, one of said clasps being provided with engaging-points, and

FRED. C. TEMPLE, ll. F. llIcConMIcK. 

